"So what's your name?"

    The both of us are walking side by side as we cross the hallway leading to the back exit. Jax thought it'll be better if we leave through here. It's been ten minutes and I can't find either Braydon or Beth. I've even looked at Zach and Jax rooms in case they were lingering in there, but the rooms were empty. Maybe they're waiting for me outside.

    "Why do you want to know my name?" I turn to Jax.

    His dark eyes are shadowy, illuminated by the dim flickering lights of the hallway. Most of the people have gone already, leaving just the two of us.

     I don't know whether I should be happy or scared. Scared, because I'm alone with a complete stranger. Happy, because as much as he's an asshole, I couldn't seem to get him out of my mind the entire night.

    "I'd like to know whose cute ass I've just saved just now," he replies. He's still wearing his black robe, and he looks like an absolute king floating around in it. Kinda sexy if you ask me.

    "I don't tell my name to strangers."

    "If you don't tell your name to strangers, then how can they ever be friends with you?"

     "You want to be my friend?"

    "I don't know. Maybe." He shrugs. "But that's besides the point. The point is, it's only fair if I know your name. You know mine."

    "That's different." I shake my head. "Everybody knows your name. You're a legend in Boston."

    "Legend, huh?" He nods, grinning, as if pleased with my response. "I like the sound of that. You think I'm a legend, princess?"

    "I think you're okay." I say, not really wanting to inflate his ego.

    He's more than good—he's brilliant. He's enigmatic in that ring—every punch he throws, he punches with force, every move he makes, he does it with grace and every opponent he takes down, he gives it everything he got.

     I've never met anyone like him before. It's such an odd thing to be attracted to someone like that, but I've always been odd. I don't care about the looks; I care about the power that a person wields.

    And Jax 'Deadbeat' Deneris is a god.

    "Just okay?" He scoffs, looking offended by my remark. "Did you see me out there, princess? I owned that fucking ring."

    Yeah, you did.

    "Like I said, you did okay," I murmur. "What did you expect, huh? You want me to shower you with compliments? Kiss your feet? Worship the ground you walk on?"

    "That would be great, thanks."

    Fuck, how can I feel so much annoyance and adoration for this man—both at the same time? There's a burning passion in me to dismiss everything that comes out from his mouth but there's also another part of me that wants to spend more time with him, to know more about this man that enraptured me in that ring upon first glance.

    "I'm kidding," Jax says when he notices my silence. "You're really uptight, aren't you?"

    "No, I'm not."

    "Well, you're not very nice either."

    "Neither are you," I snap back.

    "Oh, I know that." he grins at me. "I never said otherwise, princess."

    I stop at my tracks. "Stop calling me that."

    "What? Princess?"

    I nod wordlessly.

    He chuckles. "Why? Does it piss you off?'

    "A little yeah."

    "I wouldn't have to call you that if you just tell me your name."

    I make an annoyed sound at the back of my throat. Damn, this guy is persistent. And I should hate him for it, but he's exactly what I predict he is—a guy who goes for exactly what he wants. And he won't back down unless he gets it.

    And something tells me that right now, what he wants is me.

    When we reach the back exit, Jax pushes the lever down and forces the door open. Like the gentleman he is, he lets me go out first. The night breeze teases my hair as I step out unto the street. There aren't a lot of people mingling here with the exception of several druggies and fighters who are looking to catch a break with their cigarettes.

    I realize most of the fighters don't have robes. It seems as if Jax has one. I wonder if it's something you get when you win a lot of fights or if it's a luxury item that you wear if you can afford one.

    "They're not here." I shake my head. "My sister and my best friend."

      "Have you tried calling them?"

      I nod, holding up my phone. "No answer."

    "They're probably at the main exit." Jax points to the alleyway leading to the front of Breaking Point. "There's going to be lots of people there. It might take a while to find them."

    "Let's go," I say, but he grabs a hold of my arm and shakes his head.

    "You shouldn't go there. It's not a good way to use." He gestures to the alleyway. "There are gangs."

    "Why? Are you afraid? You can totally take them if you want to."

    "Yeah, no shit. But I'm not in the mood right now for some ass-kicking. I'm exhausted from just now," Jax mutters, then points to the trees beside Breaking Point. "We use that way."

    I hesitate. It looks awfully dark and I've watched too many horror movies to know where this is headed. "I'm not sure—"

    "Why? You afraid I'm going to kill you and bury your body there?"

Not exactly. Mom always advised that if guys take you to somewhere dark and scary, it means they want to do...things with you.

I say. "You could..." I hesitate. "Uh..."

    That got Jax laughing. "You think I'll touch you without your consent?"

    I nod.

    "Princess, I'm an asshole, but I'm not a rapist." He shakes his head. "I'll never touch someone unless they want me to. I've got plenty of girls at my disposal who crave my touch. I don't need to force myself upon them. And I don't want to too. It's a major dick move."

    When he put it that way, I guess it does make sense. Jax Deneris can get any girl he wants. He has thousands of girls that will gladly entertain if he needs them too.

    But that doesn't mean he isn't a perpetrator of sexual assault.

    I'm dial the 911 number on my phone and my finger hovers over the call button. "Just for safety measure," I say to him and he rolls his eyes. "You go first."

    "Fine," he mutters and enters the pathway.

    It's really dark here, especially the huge trees looming over us, covering the last of the light glistening from the full moon tonight. The soft crunch of leaves as I walk is the only companion of sound I have other that our heavy breathing.

Jax is silent in front of me, but he pauses every couple of seconds to look behind to see if I'm following him. I think a part of him thinks that I'm going to bail.

    I don't and I won't.

    "Is the robe a special thing?" I blurt out suddenly. He stops at his tracks, stunned that I've asked him a question. "I mean—you're the only one wearing it tonight. Is it like and exclusive thing?"

    "Yes and no," he murmurs. He waits until I catch up to him and then the both of us walk together side-by-side. I actually like it better like this, when we're beside each other. "There are others that wear it. The elimination rounds happen this whole month so you'll get to see some of the other fighters wearing at as well. As for exclusivity, it's not that entirely. This robe—" He pinches the silky material on his shoulder. "—symbolizes the blood and sweat I've spilled in that ring. It symbolizes my power, my reign, my freedom. And people know that. Some fighters don't wear it because they're either newbies or they feel like they're not deserving of the robe yet."

    "When did you get the robe?" I whisper.

    "After my second win last season," he says. "It felt a little too early—but I'm an arrogant and overconfident son of a bitch. I also like to show off."

    "You're awfully blunt." And I like that, I say silently.

    "I don't find any reason why I shouldn't be," he tells me. "I'm just being super honest about myself. I am who I am. If people don't like me for me, then they can fuck off for all I care."

    "You must have a lot of friends."

    "I don't, but I pretend I do." There's a hint of sadness when he says that.

    "Do you have a girlfriend?" I ask. Damn, what is wrong with me? Why am I asking such personal questions?

    "Why? Are you considering to apply for the job? I got to tell you though. It's a pretty competitive field." He teases.

    "No!" I say it a little too fast. "No, I just thought—"

    "I'm just joking, princess. You're cute when you're all flustered," he says and I look away, blushing. Holy shit, I'm blushing. What the fuck is this man doing to me? "No, I don't have a girlfriend. Girls don't see me as boyfriend material."

    "Why?"

    "Because I'm all over the place. I'm a fucking mess. Nobody wants to get involved with this." He gestures to himself. "And I don't let anyone get too close to get involve either."

    "That's really sad, don't you think so?"

    "No, it's not." He starts to get all defensive. "Love is stupid. It only makes you weaker."

    "That's not true and you know that."

    Jax merely shakes his head. "You don't know what I know, princess. And you really don't want to know either."

    I can see it then. There's a lot of layers surrounding Jax Deneris. He has his guard up, just like in the ring. Only he doesn't once let it down in real life either.

     It must be exhausting to never letting down your own walls just to feel a little bit of vulnerability. His defenses messes with his mind so much that his definition about love is so wrong.

    It makes me wonder if he ever did experience love before. Maybe he did and it turned him to who is he today. Or maybe he hasn't and doesn't intend to find out—ever.

      "Are you sure we're going the right way?" I ask, suddenly scared. All I see are trees and darkness. I'm still holding my phone and I'm this close to pressing call on 911.

     "Will you just relax? I know how to get out," Jax says. "I use this way tons of times when I'm not in the mood to mingle around with my fans. If you're scared or something, you can hold my hand."

      For a second there, the prospect of actually touching him sounds really tempting. But I have to remind myself that I've just met this guy an hour ago. I barely know him, even though I'm infatuated with how he owned that ring tonight.

     But it's weird, how even though we've just met, I feel as if I'm already strung to him. Connected.

     How is that even possible?

      "No thank you."

     Jax makes an annoyed sound at the back of his throat. "How much more is it going to take for you to realize I'm not trying to rape you or kill you?"

     "You get me out of here and then we'll see." I nod.

     "Are you always like this with guys or is it just me?" He asks.

     "Just you," I say. "You're probably the only guy that's willing to spend more than ten minutes with me so yeah."

     He stops walking and turn around, looking absolutely shocked. "You're joking."

     I shake my head.

     "Oh my god, you're serious. Fuck, princess." He walks over to me. "I can't possibly understand why," he murmurs, sieving his hand into my hair. "You're so fucking beautiful."

     His eyes meet mine in such an intense way that I'm tempted to look away. But they are as mesmerizing as they are overpowering.

"I bet you say this to all the girls you want to hook up with," I whisper, not taking my eyes off him. I'm done for. I can't stop looking at him.

He chuckles deeply. "Well not really. It doesn't take much convincing for them to get into bed with me once they see me half-naked, all sweaty and shit in the ring. Girls are all for that. I bet you were too." He winks at me.

"Don't flatter yourself." I croak out, even though he's right. The minute his eyes met mine while he was in that ring, my entire body was on fire.

"I saw you when I was up there," he says, speaking in a low tone. "Of all the girls in that warehouse, my eyes landed on you."

For some reason, his words made me blush.

"Must be fate then," I say.

"Must be," he says, grinning.

Oh god, why the fuck is he so good at everything—fighting, talking, grinning—I swear, it isn't even fair.

This man, oh this man, confuses the hell out of me. My thoughts are so jumbled up. I want to not trust him, but deep down, I do. I want to hate him, but deep down, I don't. I keep forcing myself to not like his company, his presence, but god, I do. Too much. It's killing me.

"Come on, let's keep moving," he says.

This time, he slides an arm around my waist and guides me through the woods. I gasp from the sudden gesture, but ease into it after a couple of minutes. His hand rests on my side, his thumb rubbing gently on the exposed skin there. I almost combust under his minute touch.

     "You're touching me," I whisper.

      "That I am." He chuckles. "Do you feel uncomfortable? Do you want me to stop?"

      I should say yes, but instead, I shake my head no. I can't speak. I'm lost for words. All I can think about is his hand on my skin and how such a minute gesture has my mind spinning and my body delirious.

     No guy has touched me before. No guy has ever wanted to touch me before.

I don't blame them; I'm not a very nice person. I keep to myself mostly, apart from being with Beth, Bray and her boyfriend Trevor. Don't get me wrong, I love them all to bits, but they don't know the demons in the deepest parts of me. They don't know the intense emotions that I feel, my inability to control them, my undying thirst for anger and rage and power.

Ordinary boys want ordinary girls.

I'm not a ordinary girl.

"We're here," he announces.

When we're out of the woods, I can spot the crowd forming outside of the main entrance of Breaking Point. It's been an hour since the fights ended and people are still mingling around. They're girls mostly, wanting to get their hands on one of the fighters tonight.

I turn back, wondering how long we were in those woods. About forty minutes maybe. My eyebrows arch in confusion. How did we end up walking for forty minutes? That distance from the exit to the entrance of Breaking Point surely isn't that long.

I whip my head around and scowl at Jax. "Did we get lost in those woods? Why did we take so long to get here?"

Jax merely grins. "I took a very long detour."

"Why?"

He steps forward and tugs a stray hair behind my ear. His face is so close to mine and I can't breathe. "Because I wanted to spend time with you, princess."

Before I can open my mouth to say anything, I hear an all too familiar voice sound. And I hate to admit it but for the first time, I didn't wish she was here.

"Sienna!" Beth yells. "Oh my god, thank god you're here. I couldn't find you by the washrooms and then Bray said she had to go to take her brother to the hospital and I panicked and I-" When she finally registers that Jax Deneris is right in front of me, her eyes widen and she starts squealing. "Oh my god! It's-it's you...!"

He smirks, as if expecting that response, and sticks his hand out for her to shake it. She takes his hand willingly. "I guess I don't need to introduce myself. Nice to meet you, uh..."

"Elizabeth," she says shyly. "But everyone c-calls me Beth. G-gosh, I'm you're biggest fan."

"She's my sister," I say.

"Really?" He asks, his gaze darting between the both of us. "You both look nothing alike. Well, except for the hair color." He gestures to my hair with his hand.

"Yeah, we get that a lot," I tell him.

"Sienna, y-you know him?" Beth says, looking absolutely stunned. "You know the Jax Deneris?"

"Yeah, like only an hour ago." I shrug, trying to make it seem like it's not that big of a deal.

"I took the liberty of saving her pretty ass when she almost got beat up by some guys after she provoked the shit out of one of them," Jax adds.

"You almost got beat up?" Beth's eyes widen.

"It's fine. I had it handled."

"And by 'had it handled' she meant she was actually going to take that beating if I hadn't swooped in and saved her."

I whirl around to face him. "Can you not make it sound like you were my guardian angel or something?"

"Why not?"

"Because you're not."

"Sienna!" Beth hisses. "W-why are you being so rude to him?"

That makes Jax grin even harder. "She likes to play hard to get with me." His eyes meet mine and hold. "Isn't that right, Sienna?"

Fuck, aaaand he knows my name now.

"I'm not-" I take a deep breath. I'm not going to punch him. I'm not going to punch him. I'm going to control my temper and I'm not going to punch him, I keep repeating to myself silently. "Look Jax, thanks for helping me out tonight. But we gotta go."

"Wow, I thought 'thank you's weren't programmed into your system." Jax grins, folding his arms cross his chest in a smug manner. Shit. I've been caught.

"Yeah, well, don't act like you're so special alright?" I tell him.

"Wait," Beth tugs on my hand. "C-can we not go so early, please?" Then, she whispers so only I can here her next words. "I mean, I've been waiting all night to find him and here he is. Maybe we can like go grab dessert or something-"

I roll my eyes. "Jax is a busy guy, Beth. I'm sure he has places to go."

"That I do, actually," Jax overhears our conversation and decides to chime in. "I'm sorry, Beth, but maybe some other time."

Beth nods, blushing. "Okay."

"Can I borrow your sister for a minute?" Jax tells her, but he's already nudging me so that my back is facing her.

I fold my arms across my chest and cock my head sideways, wanting to look mildly irritated that he pulled me aside, even though a little part of me likes he did. God, he makes me all confused and shit.

"So, your name is Sienna, huh?" He grins at me. "It's a nice name."

"Thanks. Can I go now?"

"Not quite yet," he says. "I really did mean what I said just now, princess. Even though our time in the woods was short, I really did enjoy spending time with you. And I want to do it again, if you'd let me of course."

I sigh. "Jax..."

"You're not going to turn me down, are you?" Jax asks. "Because fuck me if you do. You'll be the first girl to ever do that to me."

"I don't date." Is all I can say. Though what I meant to say is, I've never dated anyone in my entire existence.

"That's fine with me. I don't date either," Jax drawls. "But I do want to see you again."

"What if I don't want to see you again?"

"Then you'll be lying to yourself," he murmurs, brushing his thumb over my cheek. "You'll come back, princess. And don't worry, I'll be waiting. You know where to find me." He leans forward and presses a light kiss on my forehead. I gasp when his lips make contact with my skin. When he pulls away from me, he sends me another cocky grin. "But if you don't... here's my number." He slides my phone out of my pocket and punch his number in. After he's done, he slips it back in.

     "You think you're so smooth, don't you?" I ask, folding my arms across my chest. "You're that certain I'm going to come running back to you?"

     "Oh yeah, I am. That's because it's already set in the stars." He winks. "Goodbye, Sienna."

And before I can say anything else, he turns his back on me and disappears into the crowd, leaving me completely dumbfounded.

* * *

A/N: So that was Jax and Sienna's first meeting! You can see how different Sienna was before she met Jax. No doubt she was snarky and stubborn, but she still had that air of innocence around her. I think that's crucial because you'll see exactly how Jax breaks that down and turns her into a different person.

Anyways! I still don't what my updating schedule is because I'm really busy with university stuff and visa shit and between that and trying to spend as much time as I can with my friends and family here in Malaysia, you can tell I really don't have much time to write. Sobs. But I'll try for you guys!

ILY. See you (maybe) next Friday!

Tell me what do you think in the comments section below!

Love, Claudia.